European
Leptospirosis
Society
Haemorrhagic fever (HF) is a general term for a severe illness, sometimes associated with bleeding, that may be caused by a number of pathogens, including viruses.
The term viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) is usually applied to disease caused by Arenaviridae (Lassa fever, Junin and Machupo), Bunyaviridae (Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, Rift Valley Fever, Hantaan haemorrhagic fever, Kyasanur forest disease).
Although most cases of haemorrhagic fever are caused by viruses, also bacteria (meningococcal infection), parasites (malaria) and spirochetes (leptospirosis) may be causative agents for developing a haemorrhagic fever syndrome (HF).
The majority of VHF's are zoonotic infections and most are vector borne infections i.e. mosquito borne, rodent borne.
ELS intends to promote research in the field of HF, both clinical and experimental and both in human and veterinary medicine, with a multidisciplinary approach between partners within the network. At the same time ELS undertakes initiatives to strengthen the network.
Additional information can be obtained from:
Prof. Eric C.M. van Gorp MD, PhD
Professor of Medicine
Dept. of Viroscience
Erasmus MC